...What role should standardized testing play in Texas' public education system? The methods by which children are educated and academically measured in Texas have evolved over the past few decades, due to federal and state directed education policies. In an effort to establish accountability and improve the nation's competitiveness on a global scale, standardized testing has become a driving component of curricula nationwide. Almost every state, including Texas, governs its public schools under a national policy directive known as the "No Child Left Behind Act" (NCLB). The NCLB requires all states to utilize assessments to determine and report if a school has made adequate yearly progress (AYP) in the proficiency levels of all students. This is a relatively recent shift from local control of schools to centralized governance which is intended to improve education and eliminate harmful disparities in education quality (Ricci 342). Instead of school districts determining education standards, the state and federal governments provide the policy direction. One method to assess education performance and compliance with the centralized policy is the use of accountability measures - i.e., standardized tests. The NCLB, coupled with state policy, is intended to decrease inequality and set an objective measurement in place where school districts, schools, teachers, and even students can be held accountable for their progress or lack thereof. However, there are arguments from opponents...
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... Bahorich, I am a former student at the University of Texas at Arlington. I want to make the world in which we live in a better place, but for that I must start from the bottom. Personally, I admire you for being on the Texas Board of Education as the chairperson, because your job is more than just leading meetings over the Texas education system, giving ideas of how to improve the education system, or make sure that school districts are regulated according to standards. Your job goes beyond that, the future of Texas students is in your hands. I believe that there has been an issue in the Texas education system since the beginning of it, and the problem originates by the bad funding of public school districts. I strongly believe in the United States constitution, and according to the fourteenth amendment everyone should be equal on the eyes of the law....
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...Democrats, Republicans, and Libertarians are maybe three of the most well-known, obvious political parties within Texas. Within the pages of their party sets of principles, we see that each possesses a way of thinking like no one else in the world, with specific viewpoints and ideas for changing government policy. The people of Texas face many challenges, two of the most interesting/most forceful issues being the serious problem in healthcare and in education. Not only are we insufficient in these areas as Texans, but also on the national level. The parties' way of thinking on these two major issues gives us understanding of the mind and plans, desires of each. "Of the people, by the people, and for the people" predicts the Texas Democratic...
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...Texas Undocumented Students And Education Policy EDU 365 Politics of American Education September 3, 2012 The society group of undocumented immigrant students has impacted education policy in many ways over the last ten years, especially the Border States that are so highly affected such as; California, Arizona, and Texas. In this paper I will focus on Texas and how these policies including the rights of the students, funding issues, and language barriers have impacted the way in which these school districts have had to change the policies set forth to ensure every child receives a quality public education. In Texas, prior to 1982 the law did not allow school districts to use state funds to educate undocumented immigrant children; districts were even allowed to deny enrollment to these children. (Combs, Susan, 2006) However, in the case of Plyler v. Doe in 1982 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Texas law was in violation of the equal protection provision of the 14th Amendment. (Combs, Susan, 2006) As a result of this and many other court cases, states can no longer deny access to public education to undocumented students nor can they attempt to identify undocumented children for fear of discrimination. (Combs, Susan, 2006) The Texas Education Agency reported that the average state and local expenditure per student in 2004-05 was $7,085, noting this does not include federal funds. (Combs, Susan, 2006) Although the actual number of undocumented immigrant...
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...are many laws in special education that are there to protect the rights of children. Similarly, parents and educators need to know and understand the laws. Procedural safeguards are in place for students with disabilities but those safeguards may differ from state to state. There are also differences in public and private schools when it comes to special education laws and procedures. A parent that is caught between sending their special needs child to a public school or a private school need to know and understand the similarities and differences in the two types of school systems. It is imperative that families know their rights when it comes to their rights and those rights of their child. I think it is important to know what procedural...
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...right to education. If we all know that education is one of the main factors to help better our society, why is it when we need to make cuts to help keep Texas running. This decision doesn’t make sense to the common person so why is it congress to agree so easily on these cuts. Texas is currently looking at a 27 billion short fall for the next two years, which means a 9.6 billion cut to public schools and 375,000 loosed jobs. What kind of an impact are these cuts going to have on the future of our children and society? If Texas is in the budget crisis it’s in now, how will it proceed to get any better if education is the first to be impacted? One of the first programs looking at cuts in education is the Pre-K program in Public schools. When one thinks of Pre-K, what one may consider is what kind of importance is this program provides for our children. When one thinks of what consist in the day of preschooler; typically one thinks of coloring and playing and maybe even snack. Really in reality the children in these programs are learning a lot from one another and their teachers. Most of the children in these types of programs are Hispanic (99%) and economically disadvantaged (86%), taking away or cutting the program could affect these children with being ready for public school. Being that majority of the children are Hispanic, English is either a second language or not spoken at all in the home. Pre- K program is helping provide easier transition into the public school systems...
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...BECOME A TEXAS CPA Prepared for Dr. Michael Newman By AMANDA LEOPOLD OCTOBER 21, 2015 CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY…………………………………………………………………………………….……………….1 INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………………………………………………….……….2 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS ………………………………………………………………………………….…………2 Education…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….2 Good Moral Character……………………..………………………………………………………………….3 UNIFORM CPA EXAMINATION ………………………………………………………………………………….…….3 Application & Fees…...………………………………………………………………………………………….3 Testing Windows ……..……………………..………………………………………………………………….4 Sections………………………..…………………………………………………………………………………….4 Study Prep Material.…………………………………………………………………………………………….5 OBTAINING THE CERTIFICATE …………………………………………………………………………………….…….5 CONCLUSION………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report provides information about the steps required to become and maintain a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license in the state of Texas. A CPA license in Texas is in great demand due to the fact Texas does not have a state income tax and many wealthy people move to Texas who require attention in estate planning and income tax. Under Texas law, an individual may not practice public accountancy unless they hold a certificate issued under Chapter 901 of the Public Accountancy Act. Included in this report are the following subjects: * The requirements and steps to become a Texas CPA. * Information regarding the Texas Uniform...
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...Make-up of Home-Schooled Students in Texas? Jimmy L. Dillon Wayland Baptist University EDUC 5302 July 19, 2012 Abstract This study was conducted to try to determine what the overall demographics and make-up is of home-schooled students in Texas. The home-school phenomenon has proved to be a viable education option for parents who do not want to send their children to a public or private school. The reasons for wanting to home-school vary from parent-to-parent. Studies abound in comparing home-schooled student’s achievement to public school students with the general result that home-school students score higher on achievement test than public school students. Home-schooled consistently scored in the 82nd to 92nd percentile and the public school students scored in the 53rd – 71st percentile (Martin-Chang, Gould, & Meuse, 2011). However; are these studies comparing students from similar demographics such as economic status, region of residence, etc. or is there deep differences in demographics of the two populations which make the comparisons misleading? It has been studied and shown that a child’s socioeconomic status (SES) and overall demographics play a major factor in how well they score on academic achievement tests. The area that has not been looked at is what the overall demographics are of the average home-schooled child and if the ratio of lower SES to upper-middle class students are the same in comparison to the public school. This study attempts to find...
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...Texas Courts and Legislation: Effects on Educational Funding Dalina A. Cavazos ED 7822 The Funding of Educational Institutions 510 West 8th Street San Juan, Texas 78589 Telephone: 956-460-9094 Email: dcavazos1@capellauniversity.edu Dr. Lee Monroe Texas Courts and Legislation: Effects on Educational Funding State to state the rules of educational funding is based on their state statutes. Funds must be distributed among the districts with in their state. “Basically, there are three different degrees of state participation possible for financing and operating public schools” (Brimley, Verstegen, & Garfield, 2012): state operation, state support, and foundation program approach or district power equalization. Billion of state and federal dollars are overseen by the Texas Education Agency. “Funds come from multiple sources, including state and federal coffers, grant organizations, the Permanent School Fund endowment, and others” (Texas Education Agency, 2007-2012, Intro section). In Texas under the education code, Title II is for public education has the rules for the superintended of the district to divide and present the budget for the fiscal year by July 1 or September (Cornell University Law School, 2001, Sec. 44.0011). However, the budgets and regulations are constantly changing because of bills that proposed and laws that pass. The Texas Education Legislation Status states that “more than 100 education-related bills were passed during the regular...
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...decrease the funding for public education in order to alleviate the stress from the numerous financial problems the country faces. On a state level further cuts are being made to compensate for the lack of funds. Gov. Rick Perry of Texas has proposed cuts to funding education because of the state’s $27 billion budget shortfall. This creates fewer funds for programs to enrich the students. If funding gets cutting state educational funds will doom this nation by decreasing the quality of Texas instructors, decreasing Texas students’ likelihood in succeeding in college, and increasing the crime rate in Texas. Cutting funds to education decreases the quality of Texas’ instructors by reducing the funds available for promising upcoming teachers. Without scholarships or loan forgiveness many civilians will not choose a career in education because there is no longer an incentive to pursue this path. Grow Your Own, teacher’s aide tuition exemptions, and Access to Success funding programs all rely on federal and state funding. The Government substantially reduced or canceled the funding for these programs because of the cuts. This is thanks to Texas Gov. Rick Perry and state Republican leaders, who proposed a slash of $4.8 billion in state school aid over the course of two years. The educational cuts have already resulted in 100,000 school worker layoffs, reducing the quantity and quality of professionals available for the children’s education. Reducing funds in education also decreases the likelihood...
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...Research Wilder Research Wilder Research Report prepared for the RWJF Commission to Build a Healthier America by Paul W. Mattessich, Ph.D. Wilder Research Saint Paul, Minnesota Ela J. Rausch, M.P . .P Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Minneapolis, Minnesota With support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation June 2013 Creating Healthy Communities Cross-sector partnerships are sparking widespread action to improve community health COATESVILLE , PA SEATTLE, WA Access to healthy foods Access to preventative care and healthy housing LOS ANGELES , CA Quality early child care and education CHICAGO, IL Data and evidence to build health into all policies and practices MIAMI , FL Opportunities for physical activity and healthy living health community development • community development finance • community planning • early child care/education • human services • housing Introduction “ Building a healthier America is feasible in years, not decades, if we collaborate and act on what is making a difference.” —Robert Wood Johnson Foundation In 2008, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation convened a commission of nonpartisan leaders to identify opportunities to improve the health of all Americans by creating environments that protect and actively promote health. Their report, Beyond Health Care: New Directions to a Healthier America, included 10 recommendations for improving the health of our communities, several of which focused specifically...
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...Texas Department of Public Safety Driver License Division Parent Taught Driver Education (PTDE) Information Packet It is very important that you read this entire packet and follow all of the instructions. This packet is: ► Information about obtaining an approved PTDE course. ► Instructions on how to properly administer the PTDE training as required by Texas law. ► Instructions to obtain a driver license for the student. This packet is NOT: ► An approved driver education course. ► Proof of payment for an approved PTDE course. IMPORTANT NOTICE Since the purchase of a packet enrolls a student into the PTDE Program, each student must obtain a separate packet. Students may not share a PTDE Information Packet nor can this specific packet be transferred to any other student. It is the instructor’s responsibility to first obtain an approved PTDE course before beginning any instruction. The cost to purchase one of the approved PTDE courses was not included in the cost of this packet. You will need to contact a specific PTDE course provider for pricing information on the PTDE course that you choose. Only a PTDE course approved by the Department of Public Safety (DPS) can be accepted for the PTDE Program. (See Appendix A enclosed or go online to www.dps.texas.gov/ DriverLicense/parenttaught.htm) If you or your student has any questions after reviewing the enclosed material, please contact the Driver License Division Record Evaluation Section at (512)...
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...Smith, editor of the Texas Tribune, put his chin in his hand and asked Gov. Rick Perry: "Governor, why does Texas continue with abstinence education programs when they don't seem to be working? In fact, we have the third-highest teen pregnancy rate in the country, among all the states." "Abstinence works," Perry replied, his arms folded and resting on the table be-tween them. Smith tried again – the point of the question, he said, was that abstinence education, by the stats, doesn't exactly seem to be working. It does work, Perry replied; it's the "best form ... to teach our children," he said. "Can you give me a statistic suggesting it works?" Smith asked. I Heart Pants abstinence website "I'm sorry, I'm just going to tell you ... from my own personal life, abstinence works," said Perry, increasingly agitated. "If the point is ... we're going to stand up here and say, 'Y'all go have sex and have the whatever is going on ... and here's the ways to have safe sex' – I'm sorry; call me old-fashioned if you want, but that's not what I'm going to stand up in front of the people in the state of Texas and say, 'That's the way we need to go, and forget about abstinence.'" Of course, neither Smith nor anyone else was asking the governor to "forget about abstinence," but the truth, say advocates for adolescent health, including doctors and educators, is that teaching "abstinence only" has not worked to reduce the high rates of teen pregnancy and births in Texas despite the tens of...
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...Public accountants work for individual clients and businesses to provide professional accounting services such as auditing financial statements and resolving tax issues. Accountants can provide advice on business matters such as the advantages of healthcare plans and compensation packages for employees. Public accountants in Texas must qualify for certification by meeting education and experience requirements and must pass the Texas Uniform CPA Exam. Therefore, the following paragraphs are discussion about the requirements sit for the Texas Uniform CPA Exam, the requirements to become a CPA in Texas, the topics the Texas Uniform CPA Exam covers, the testing windows for the Texas Uniform CPA Exam, and any other courses and issues that candidates have. To become a CPA in Texas, a candidate must be of good, moral character. In addition, a candidate must take and pass the Texas Uniform CPA Exam. Moreover, there are requirements to sit for the Texas Uniform CPA Exam. First, a candidate must hold a baccalaureate or higher degree from a board-recognized United States college or university, or an equivalent degree as determined by board rule from an institution of higher education in another country. For satisfying this requirement, a student must complete150 semester hours or quarter-hour equivalents of college credit.30 out of the 150 semester hours or quarter-hour equivalents described must be upper-level accounting courses from a board-recognized college or university, of which 15...
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...through the Constitution. In San Antonio, Texas, citizens found that the school finance system was unjust and filed suit under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The Federal District Court found that the Texas school finance system violated the Fourteenth Amendment. The State appealed to the Supreme Court. Case Summary San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez (1973) argued that education was a “fundamental right” implied in the Constitution and that poor Hispanic families were being treated as a “suspect class” due to financial disparities between wealthy and poor school districts. The argument was that this inequality of funding between school district’s violated the Equal Protection Clause. The State contended that education was not an Federal enumerated power, therefore it was reserved to the State and that included financial decisions. Court’s Decision The Court found in a 5-4 ruling that this was not a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment because education is not a guarantee...
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